Winemaker Notes
This classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon reveals aromas of ripe blackberry and boysenberry with hints of dark chocolate and sweet oak. On the palate, the dark fruit is balanced by fresh acidity and lush tannins that carry all the way over a lingering, elegant finish—with just a kiss of minerality.
Enjoy this wine now, with everything from lamb burgers to filet mignon and fire-roasted portabello mushrooms—or lay the wine down and watch it continue todevelop complexity in the bottle for years to come.
Blend: 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 4% Petite Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The base Cabernet from this terrific estate is the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, which checks in as 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. It has beautiful notes of crème de cassis, graphite, tobacco, and ground herbs as well as a dense, rich, concentrated style on the palate. This terrific Cabernet is going to benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age and cruise for upwards of 15 years (or more) in cool cellars.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is composed of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, aged for 17 months in 56% new French oak. Very deep purple-black colored, it has a pronounced nose of crème de cassis, blackberry tart and warm mulberries with touches of Chinese five spice, camphor and tar. Medium to full-bodied, the palate features loads of black fruit preserves, framed by chewy tannins and great freshness, finishing with a compelling herbal lift.
One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wine. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District's tart cherry flavors.